Bio-plastics are plastic materials that are either made from renewable plant-based resources like sugarcane or are biodegradable. They help reduce dependence on fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions compared to traditional plastics that are produced from finite resources. Some examples of bioplastics include polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and polycaprolactone (PCL) which can be biodegradable. The document discusses advantages of bioplastics over traditional plastics and defines carbon footprint.